Dental Health

A world-first vaccine developed by Melbourne scientists which could eliminate or at least reduce the need for surgery and antibiotics for severe gum disease, has been validated by research published this week.
A team of dental scientists at the Oral Health CRC at the University of Melbourne has been working on a vaccine for chronic periodontitis for the past 15 years with industry partner CSL. Clinical trials on periodontitis patients could potentially begin in 2018.
Moderate to severe periodontitis affects one in three adults and more than 50 per cent of Australians over the age of 65. It is associated with diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia and certain cancers. It is a chronic disease that destroys gum tissue and bone supporting teeth, leading to ...

Sometimes attaining the best smile possible goes beyond simply cleaning your teeth and preventing cavities. Sometimes improving your smile may require resolving issues like alignment, discolourations (due to staining), chips, or even tooth breakages. Consequently, it is necessary for a dentist to have a variety of smile improvement options available.
Today some dental practitioners especially in high brow locations have been able to incorporate several treatments under one roof. In this wise you are opportune to choose from a variety of procedures that offer some of the best smile treatments available. Following are some of the available dental treatments and procedures that may likely address your smile related problems - going by recent trends.
Dental Bonding
One versatile solutio

Try supplementing your diet with the following foods. Not only do they offer you nutritional benefits, but they also help keep your teeth white.
1. Cauliflower
It’s one of those foods that requires a lot of chewing – and that’s a good thing for your teeth. The longer it takes to break down your food, the more saliva you produce. And saliva is a natural cleanser for your teeth to keep them shining bright.
2. Strawberries
These fruits may be a dark colour, but they’re also packed with an enzyme known as malic acid, which naturally makes teeth whiter.
3. Cheese
Your mother told you to drink your milk for strong bones and a sparkling white smile. And she was correct. Dairy products, such as cheese, yoghourt and milk, contain lactic acid and the enamel-fortifying mineral calc

It is widely accepted that chewing gum is good for oral hygiene. Clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay, Sugar Free Gum helps Prevent Cavities.
Sugar Free Gum helps Prevent Cavities
The chewing of sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris, neutralises acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and provides disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth. Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel.
Chewing sugar-free gum can also really help those at high risk of tooth decay, such as teenagers (whose diet is often not as good as it should be); people who drink a lot of soft drinks or sports drinks; and those whose...

Dental plaques are those ugly looking, yellowish, and sticky film of mucus and bacteria that form on the teeth of individuals, which make the teeth feel fuzzy, frizzy and lacking brilliance.
Dental plaques develop, and are even encouraged when food substances like carbohydrates (simple sugar and starch), dairy products (milk, cheese, Ice-cream), candy, soft drinks, cakes and the likes are consumed more often, and particles of such foods constantly are left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth by default thrive on these food particles and as a result produce acids.
These released acids gradually destroy the enamel of the teeth, which consequently leads to tooth decay. In the same vein, dental plaques develop on the roots of the teeth just beneath the dental gums which cause the b...

Modern dentistry has brought about more widespread oral care education, and the availability of better oral care tools, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and interdental cleaners (brushes to clean between the teeth), a greater number of older adults are keeping their natural teeth for a much longer period of time. It is important to remember, however, that keeping your teeth in good condition as you age might require some special attention. Here are some oral care tips to help you.
As you get older, certain oral conditions not present when you were younger might develop. These include:
Dry mouth: Dry mouth can result from physical changes within the body as it ages, but can also be caused by medications. Authoritative reports have it that over 400 commonly used medications can cont

Dental grills, Gold teeth and Dental Crowns are all artificial substances used on the teeth of people for a reason or another. From how they sound, one will be quick to adjudge them as same, but in reality, they are not exactly the same thing. There are a few good sides to the use of these dental pieces, but for the sake of this write-up, our focus will be more on the demerits of these materials.
Gold Teeth
Gold teeth are a form of dental prosthesis used by people the world over for various reasons. By prosthesis here, we mean an artificial substitute or replacement of a part of the body such as the tooth of an individual. They are sometimes used for cosmetic purposes, while some others use them for various reasons as they deem fit. Prostheses are removable, as in the case of most prosth...

What are dental braces?
Dental braces, also known as Braces, Orthodontic cases, or Cases, are a set of metal device which are used in orthodontics to align and straighten the teeth of humans, as well as help in repositioning them. It also helps in improving the dental aesthetics of dental patients. Orthodontics refers a dental condition that has to do with overcrowding, misaligned jaws and crooked teeth.
An orthodontist usually recommends the use of braces to patients in a bid to improve their ‘oro-facial’ appearance and health. Oro-facial refers to a general term covering things that concern the mouth, jaws and face generally, and how they affect the appearance of a person’s face. Through orthodontic treatments, health challenges like crooked or crowded teeth, overbites or under-bites

Pain from a broken or cracked tooth may be constant or may come and go. The pain experience is not something you want to go through, it feels like fetching “water” from the “well” with a “fetcher”; Water - pain, well - affected tooth, while “fetcher” - air, food or water or anything that enters into the mouth!
Minor tooth fractures usually don't cause pain, but if a large piece of the tooth breaks off, it can hurt. The nerve inside the tooth may be damaged. Extreme discomfort also can happen when nerve endings in the dentin are exposed to air, or to hot or cold foods or drinks.
Teeth are remarkably strong, but they can chip, crack (fracture) or break. This can happen in several ways:
Biting down on something hard
Being hit in the face or mouth
Falling
Having cavities that

Nigerians have been advised to visit their dentists twice in a year, brush their teeth two times in a day, in the morning after taking their breakfast and evening before going to bed.
In addition, they should change their tooth brush every three months and desist from using tooth pick which has adverse effect on the teeth and the gum.
The advice was given during the star project organized by Rotary Club of Ikeja Central titled “Oral and Dental Care’ at Rotary Centre, GRA, Ikeja.
According to the President of the Club, Obidi Ugeh, the first leg of the uncommon project was organized with provision for 750 people in Lagos while the second leg was scheduled to come up during the Rotary International District 9110 Conference at Ijebu-Ode.
“People go for eye and all kinds of medi

One of the many challenges that have plagued people today, as it concerns their oral health is the challenge of a perfect dentition. This is an issue that has bedevilled people of different ages, races, tribes and strata etc., as anyone could be affected. This problem of bad dentition sometimes begin from childhood, and grows worse if left unattended to till adulthood; at this point, it becomes a bit difficult to be taken care of, except if the challenge is not a very tough one.
In my growing up years, I was made to believe that a people craved good set of teeth as it goes a long way in accentuating beauty especially for the women folk; given this information, I began to ensure that I did everything I could to possess a set of clean white teeth, and trust me, it wasn’t so much of a hercul

If you have ever suffered from any type of tooth pain, you know how uncomfortable it can be. There are multiple reasons one can suffer from tooth pain. Some of the more common ailments include cavities, a cracked tooth or tooth sensitivity resulting from cold or hot foods. A lesser known cause of tooth pain is a sinus infection. If you suffer from sinus infection tooth pain, here's some information to be aware of.
Sinus Infections
Sinusitis, more commonly referred to as a sinus infection, occurs when the nasal passage cavities become swollen and inflamed, according to the Mayo Clinic. The sinuses are unable to drain which allows a mucus build-up. It is usually caused by the common cold but can also result from allergies. Once the sinuses are blocked, the moist environment created

Everyone knows eating too much sugar can lead to tooth decay, but few are aware of exactly how that happens. It's not the sugar itself that does the damage, but rather the chain of events that takes place after you’ve eaten that piece of cake. Your children may be more inclined to heed your warnings about the effects of sugar on teeth if they know about the continuous tug-of-war taking place inside their mouths. Here's how taking certain actions can prevent tooth decay from hijacking your family's oral health.
How Cavities Develop
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NICDR), the mouth is full of hundreds of bacteria, many of which are beneficial to the oral ecosystem. However, certain harmful oral bacteria actually feed on the sugars you eat to create

Everyone knows eating too much sugar can lead to tooth decay, but few are aware of exactly how that happens. It's not the sugar itself that does the damage, but rather the chain of events that takes place after you’ve eaten that piece of cake. Your children may be more inclined to heed your warnings about the effects of sugar on teeth if they know about the continuous tug-of-war taking place inside their mouths. Here's how taking certain actions can prevent tooth decay from hijacking your family's oral health.
How Cavities Develop
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NICDR), the mouth is full of hundreds of bacteria, many of which are beneficial to the oral ecosystem. However, certain harmful oral bacteria actually feed on the sugars you eat to create

It is no news that brushing your teeth plays a major role in your overall health, but have you been brushing your teeth right? It is recommended that you brush your teeth at least twice each day. Here is a quick guide to ensure your teeth is properly taken care of.
Purchase the right toothbrush
It is important that you have the right toothbrush. The type of toothbrush you select depends on your specific needs. If you need a toothbrush mostly for removing plaque, a soft-bristled brush is best. On the other hand, if you are concerned about reaching hard-to-reach spaces, you should consider a toothbrush with a smaller head.
Take your time
You should spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth. This may seem like a long time - the average person usually falls short of this goal - bu...